Childhood Creative

Talking to children is so different than talking to the adults your age. Children have a sparkle in their eyes and in their souls that society drains out of them as they age. But when they are young, that glisten is still there. Children have the capacity to endlessly dream and to fill their brains, words, and actions with the never-ending flow of creativity. A scribble on a piece of paper isn’t a scribble, it’s a pirate voyaging across the ocean in pursuit of treasure. The legos built in the corner aren’t just a set of pieces put together, they are the gate to Shangri-La that the explorer must enter. The box in the living room that the Amazon package came in isn’t just a cardboard box, it’s a time machine—enter it, and the bounds of time are in the palms of your hands. Children believe anything is possible because they don’t know any better. They haven’t experienced the path of life that society naturally pulls all of us in. But what if these children were right? What if your dreams could be realized and you just assumed they couldn’t? What if you brought your childhood creativity back?

Think back to what you enjoyed doing as a child. Think about the fun you had when life didn’t feel like work. What were you doing? Can you relate that activity to your life today? If you can, you are lucky. A lot of people grow up and move far away from what they loved doing as a child. If you’re in business school in college, chances are you are working for your chance to be a consultant or investment banker at a big corporate firm. Maybe you’re on the path to becoming a lawyer or doctor. But what are the reasons you’re following this path? Do you truly want to have these professions or has society told you that the path to life is going to high school, graduating from college, and finding a high-paying job? Have you chosen your future or has society dictated your outcome?

Children understand that life is meant to be enjoyed. They have high hopes and dreams and want to do things that excite them. They have creative ideas constantly and never seem to tire of exploring the endless possibilities of life. Too many people accept that society has a preordained path to success and to the life that they should live. By reverting to the thoughts you had as a child you can begin to uncover what actually gives you a reason for living. You are able to uncover what you love doing, what feels like “play” but is actually work, and begin transitioning your current life to match these interests. Being creative shouldn’t stop when you grow up no matter what typical society tells you. The child inside of you was right, find your creative side and find your reason for living.